ENG-1980 — Page 150

HOUSING AND LAND

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purposes. During the year, the more important planning studies undertaken included one on the implications of any removal of the airport from Kai Tak, and others undertaken in connection with the Special Committee on Land Production and the Working Group on Population Distribution.

one for

The district planning function is performed by two divisions within the office the main urban areas comprising Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Kowloon, and one for the New Territories. Besides providing planning advice on all public and private development applications within their districts, including Section 16 applications, the two district planning divisions are responsible for preparing all statutory outline zoning plans, including those for the New Territories, and all departmental plans outside the new towns, including the reservation of sites for various government and community uses. Town plan- ners are seconded from the office to the various New Town Development Offices where, under the direction of the project manager, they prepare detailed departmental plans and provide planning advice within the framework of the Hong Kong Outline Plan and the statutory outline zoning plans.

In the development of the New Territories the role of the Town Planning Office is basically twofold. At the regional level, it is responsible for the forward planning of large areas in the New Territories through the preparation of planning studies to guide the future development of these regions. In parallel with these regional studies, the statutory development control of the new towns is exercised through the draft statutory Outline Zoning Plans for the New Towns.

During 1980, planning studies prepared included the North-western New Territories Planning Study, the North Lantau Outline Strategic Plan and the Planning Guide for the Future Development of Sai Kung District. At the local level, the Town Planning Office also undertakes detailed planning for smaller rural districts, particularly those under various forms of development pressure. Plans of this nature prepared during the year included the Kam Tin Layout Plan, the Kwu Tung Residential Layout and various plans for low-density residential development in the Sai Kung District.

In the main urban areas, major layouts undertaken during the year included those for the Tat Chee Avenue and Tai Hom Development Areas, for part of the former Victoria Bar- racks and for the Yau Ma Tei Typhoon Shelter reclamation.

Other studies covered the redevelopment potential of existing government quarters and government-owned buildings, and a comprehensive survey of new sites for high-class housing. Feasibility studies were also carried out and planning briefs were produced for sites earmarked for public housing estates and Home Ownership Schemes to ensure the meeting of the government's public housing target.

With the establishment of the Central Information Section in August, the Town Planning Office was able to involve itself more actively in the dissemination of planning information and in giving advice to the public on town planning and land development matters, partic- ularly in regard to planning applications under Section 16 of the Town Planning Ordinance. Of particular note during the year was the setting up of a Strategic Planning Unit in the Environment Branch. The principal function of this new unit will be to formulate a terri- torial development strategy to provide guidance to the government for the long-term provision of land and infrastructure to meet needs arising from continued population growth. This work will require, in the first instance, the commissioning of various sub- regional development studies and the reassessment from a transportation point of view

of assumed alternative population distributions.

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